As the Ducks debut …

Two things worth watching Friday night as the Ducks play Northwest Christian University in an exhibition game at McArthur Court: zone offense and shooting.

The thought here is that Oregon will have too many physical advantages for it to be about individual matchups. So expect some zone defense from NCU.

How do the Ducks respond? In recent seasons, a zone defense has been a problem for Oregon. How do they attack it in Dana Altman's debut as the UO coach in a game.

Does Oregon find openings inside? Is there better movement?

And then that second point: Oregon's shooting. It won't necessarily be the three-point shooting over the zone, especially with senior Jay-R Strowbridge out of action with a dislocated thumb on his right, or shooting, hand. Strowbridge, based on past statistics ad his two previous schools, could be Oregon's best from three-point range.

But how do the Ducks fare on those intermediate range shots, from 12 to 18 feet? Can they make the shots that the offense creates.

There are many things that can't be accurately measured in an exhibition game. Both teams experiment, with personnel and tactics.

But seeing how the Ducks work against a zone, and whether this team shoots better than last year, might offer some hints about the season to come.

Bob Clark is a veteran sports reporter who has covered local and national events for more than 30 years.